When Patti Kelleher began volunteering at the Holiday Tree Festival in 1982, one thing stood out to her: The joy on people’s faces. “A family came in that looked like they didn’t have much, and they lit up. And I thought ‘what a joy,’” she recalled. “Look at what we are giving people. Their kids […]
Donor Features
Women in philanthropy: Virginia “Gina” Drosos
For years, Virginia “Gina” C. Drosos, CEO of Signet Jewelers, has helped spearhead the organization’s partnership with Akron Children’s. We spoke to Gina about the relationship between our organizations, and how Signet’s commitment to our hospital reinforces the company’s deeply held belief in supporting the communities in which its employees live and work. Signet Jewelers […]
Honoring a legacy – $1 million gift celebrates Dr. Robert “Boomer” Burnstine
Dr. Robert “Boomer” Burnstine believed in taking care of and doing right by others – from his family and friends to his patients and employees. For nearly 40 years, the visionary founder of pediatric ophthalmology at Akron Children’s helped care for and treat countless children with eye diseases and visual system disorders. On Feb. 4, […]
Lenny Fisher donates $1 million to support Akron Children’s emergency department expansion
Turn no child away for any reason. It’s one of three core promises at Akron Children’s and for donor, Leonard “Lenny” Fisher, it’s a promise that hits close to home. “From a very young age, I watched my parents and the way they treated people,” said Lenny. “My mother would never turn anybody away who needed […]
Mockup of new emergency department aims to save $5 million in construction costs
Nearly 18 months before the planned start of construction of a $30-plus million Beeghly campus emergency department addition, a major lean initiative kicked off with a goal of shaving 15 percent off the estimated project costs. At its heart was a full-scale cardboard mock-up of the space in a former Kmart Super Store temporarily rented […]
Reading, writing, reflecting: Narrative medicine gets boost at Akron Children’s
Medical professionals routinely take their patients’ medical histories when providing care. Now a grant-funded project at Akron Children’s Hospital is taking that idea a step further to encourage use of literature and personal stories to promote resiliency for patients and providers. “Taking Our Histories: Providing Hope Through the Humanities” is a yearlong project that includes narrative medicine workshops for health care professionals at Akron Children’s, as […]
